About SoMa

SoMa, or South of Market, is one of the largest neighborhoods in all of San Francisco. Within the neighborhood, there are smaller sub-communities, including popular destinations such as Rincon Hill and Mission Bay. If you are interested in museums and history, this is the perfect destination for you. The community itself has been around since nearly the city’s inception, dating back to 1848.

During the 1840’s and 50’s, the community served as a growing destination for pioneers with the handful of a few business centers. SoMa essentially became a smaller city within the larger San Francisco, as the wealthy moved to Rincon Hill while South Park served as more of the middle class destination. With the 1906 Earthquake and fires, SoMa, much like the recent of the community, needed to rebuild. The rebuild helped propel SoMa into the 20th century, as instead of smaller brick and wood, cement, iron and steel was the construction material of choice. You can see many of these buildings there now that were erected just before the Great Depression.

SoMa now stands as a major hub for manufacturing, trade and as a destination for bar hoppers and clubbing. It was also influential in the punk and rave scene during the 80’s and 90’s. Naturally, with the wider nature of the community, it is open to a variety of businesses, ranging from auto repair shops to the headquarters for leading new-age companies like Foursquare, Pinterest and Airbnb.

Things to Know

When visiting San Francisco, chances are you’ll find yourself in SoMa at least once during the stay. Whether catching a professional baseball game or stopping by one of your favorite social media facilities, there is all sorts of things to see and do here. It also is a bit easier to park than what you might find to the north of the community in downtown.

Best Places to Park

Best Parking Spot: The majority of parking structures here sit between Interstate 80 and Market Avenue with the exception of a few options. The best place to park likely depends on where you’ll be going in the community. The 100 Henry Adams St. Lot at 100 Kansas Street is a great option for most people though. This is located near the very southern edge of the community. It is also in the heart of the Design District, where there are no other major parking structures or lots. The 470 Brannan St Garage is desirable for being open 24 hours a day, being the only lot open on the eastern/southern side of Interstate 80, and for being just a few blocks away from AT&T Park.

SoMa Lots and Garages

View the map below or directly on Google for a list of off-street parking lots and garages in SoMa. Expand the map below to find more options outside of the neighborhood.

SoMa Square Parking Garage
1 St. Francis Pl

1036 Mission St Garage1036 Mission St

1064 Mission St Garage
1064 Mission St

120 Hawthorne St Garage
120 Hawthorne St

124 Folsom St
124 Folsom St

1401 Folsom St
1401 Folsom St

153 Townsend St
153 Townsend St

100 Henry Adams St. Lot
100 Kansas St

201 Spear St
201 Spear St

23 Brady St
23 Brady St

255 12th Street
255 12th Street

299 2nd St
299 2nd St

322 Tehama St
322 Tehama St

333 Beale St
333 Beale St

336 Ritch St
336 Ritch St

38 Colin P Kelly Jr St
38 Colin P Kelly Jr St

39 1st Street
39 1st Street

395 3rd St
395 3rd St

40 Stevenson St
40 Stevenson St

400 Howard St
400 Howard St

400 Spear St
400 Spear St

470 Brannan
470 Brannan

475 Brannan St
475 Brannan St

486 Jessie St
486 Jessie St

50 8th Street
50 8th Street

Pier 30 Parking Lot
501 The Embarcadero

588 Brannan
588 Brannan

59 S Van Ness
59 S Van Ness

61 Oak Grove St
61 Oak Grove St

675 Townsend St
675 Townsend St

777 Harrison St
777 Harrison St

801 Bryant St
801 Bryant St

833 Bryant St
833 Bryant St

890 Mission St.
890 Mission St

Bayside Lot – Lot #26
1 Bryant St

Top Parking Tips for SoMa

There is often a lot of construction in SoMA that can effect the permit requirements. Be sure to read signs carefully and be on the lookout for temporary signs. Note it may not even be you’re street that is under construction effecting the change.

If you intend on parking several blocks away for a Giant’s game, make sure to check the street sign as to when the vehicle needs to be moved (for the street sweeper). Should you miss this time you’ll receive a fat fine. Find more tips for parking at AT&T Park.

Street Parking in SoMa

Street Parking Overview

Should you find available street parking where a permit is not required, you likely will be able to park for free. That is one of the perks in the area. You’ll need to keep your eyes open, but SoMa is one of the better communities in San Francisco when it comes to free parking.

This is a great, free area to park. However, residents rarely move their vehicles. Due to this, the best time to park here is before 8am. If you are out and about looking for a spot prior to 8, you may very well be in luck (especially a night following a street cleaning if residents have not yet moved their vehicles back into position yet.

This is close to Folsom Park, which puts on a nice Folsom Farmer’s Market and fair. It is a nice little free parking opportunity, and while it might be a bit further away from some activities, you don’t need to try to swoop in at 6 or 7am to park. On the weekends and during special events these spots are taken quickly.

Parking here is only going to be available on the east side of the street and only for about three blocks, but there usually are spots available here for you to take advantage of. Beyond this there is free parking throughout the neighborhood, but it can be hard to come by. Additionally, parking by some of the corporate headquarters do fill up quickly as well. While the residential areas have cars that rarely move, once the vehicles do move the parking spots are open for a bit longer. Parking by the corporate buildings are filled often and quickly. So, you really have your pick of parking either in one of the lots or circling around for street parking.

SoMa Parking Meter Locations and Rate Areas

Metered and free parking is available in SoMa. There are four metered zones in SoMa:

See meter locations and rate areas for all of San Francisco on the city’s website.

Paying for Metered Parking in SoMa

Like all parking meters in San Francisco, parking meters in SoMa accept coins, credit cards, PaybyPhone, and pre-paid SFMTA Parking Cards. Read more about the street meter payment options.

Smart Pricing Street Parking in SoMa

Prices at the meter can fluctuate with demand in SoMa via San Francisco’s Smart Pricing Program. Be prepared for inconsistent meter rates between $.25 and $6 per hour, and limits between two hours and unlimited in the areas in the map below.

Some pockets of SoMa have restrictions for residential parking. There are two different zones: U and Y. View the map above or keep a look out for the signs like the one below to know if you’re in a residential zone.

Parkers without this permit are allowed to park for the posted time limit (typically 1-2 hours) unless other restrictions apply. You can view the full San Francisco residential permit map here.

Free Street Parking in SoMa

You can park for free anywhere in SoMa after meter and residential restriction hours (typically 10 PM on weekdays). Parking is free on the weekends. During the restricted hours, you can park free outside of the metered areas, limited to 1-2 hours in residential zones, and limited to 72 hours in unrestricted zones. Of course, look out for street cleaning signs as well, which is aggressive in SoMa compared with other neighborhoods.

AT&T Park: Home of the San Francisco Giants, this is widely regarded as one of the most picturesque Major League Baseball venues in all of professional baseball. If you are interested in baseball, want a beautiful view of the Bay or want to check out one of the outdoor concerts that takes place when the season is over, check out the website for all your needs.

Attractions

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA): This is one of the crown jewels in terms of not only art collection but artistic architecture within the entire city. Initially founded in 1935, SFMOMA has been a thriving center for the arts within the city. Plus, it just reopened in May 2016 after extensive expansions. The museum believes more than one million visitors a year will visit the museum with the newly opened wing, so if you have any interest in modern art, this is a beautiful location to check out for yourself.

The Cartoon Museum: While nowhere near as large as the SFMOMA or really many of the other museums within the neighborhood, this one is a bit more unique. If you are a lover of comics and cartoons, this is a must see. The Cartoon Art Museum, while not at its present day location, has been around since 1984 and, with its growing collection of cartoons, panels and comic book collectibles, this truly is a unique place you may just fall in love with. Charles Schulz, famed creator and animator for the Peanuts cartoons helped open the museum with a sizeable endowment.